Stethoscope chestpiece having two suspended diaphragms

Abstract

A stethoscope has a dual-sided stethoscope head. The stethoscope head includes a body member having first and second opposite sound collecting sides. Each of the first and second sound collecting sides has a suspended diaphragm member. Preferably, one side is specially adapted for use with adult patients while the other side is specially adapted for use with pediatric or thin patients where it is difficult to obtain good surface contact.

We claim: 
     
       1. A dual-sided stethoscope head comprising: a body member having first and second opposite sound collecting sides,   said first sound collecting side having a first recess with an innermost central portion, an outer rim portion, and an acoustic channel communicating with said central portion of said first recess;   a first diaphragm having a peripheral edge portion and a predetermined surface contour overlying at least a portion of said first recess and moveably associated with the outer rim portion of said first recess;   a first suspension member located between said outer rim portion of said first recess and the peripheral edge portion of said first diaphragm for associating said peripheral edge portion of said first diaphragm with said outer rim portion of said first recess to provide a first acoustical stiffness for said first diaphragm, and for affording movement of said first diaphragm in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said first diaphragm between a normal outer position to which said first diaphragm is biased by said first suspension member and an inner position more closely adjacent said central portion of said first recess without substantially changing the surface contour of or the lateral tension in said first diaphragm during said movement;   a first immobilizing means situated on said first sound collecting side of the stethoscope head and located within said first recess, and together with said central portion forming a shallow recess within said first recess, said immobilizing means adapted to be contacted by at least one of said first diaphragm or said first suspension member and to immobilize said first diaphragm when said first diaphragm is in said inner position so that 1) said first sound collecting side of said stethoscope head will pass low frequency sounds and attenuate high frequency sounds when said first diaphragm is in said outer position and between said outer and inner positions, and 2) when said first diaphragm is in said inner position the acoustical stiffness of said diaphragm will be significantly higher than said first acoustical stiffness so that said first sound collecting side of the stethoscope head will pass high frequency sounds and attenuate low frequency sounds;   said second sound collecting side having a second recess with an innermost central portion, an outer rim portion, and an acoustic channel communicating with said central portion of said second recess;   a second diaphragm having a peripheral edge portion and a predetermined surface contour overlying at least a portion of said second recess and moveably associated with the outer rim portion of said second recess;   a second suspension member located between said outer rim portion of said second recess and the peripheral edge portion of said second diaphragm for associating said peripheral edge portion of said second diaphragm with said outer rim portion of said second recess to provide a first acoustical stiffness for said second diaphragm, and for affording movement of said second diaphragm in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said second diaphragm between a normal outer position to which said second diaphragm is biased by said second suspension member and an inner position more closely adjacent said central portion of said second recess without substantially changing the surface contour of or the lateral tension in said second diaphragm during said movement; and   second immobilizing means situated on said second sound collecting side of the stethoscope head and located within said second recess, and together with said central portion forming a shallow recess within said second recess, said second immobilizing means adapted to be contacted by at least one of said second diaphragm or said second suspension member and to immobilize said second diaphragm when said second diaphragm is in said inner position so that 1) said stethoscope head will pass low frequency sounds and attenuate high frequency sounds when said second diaphragm is in said outer position and between said outer and inner positions, and 2) when said second diaphragm is in said inner position the acoustical stiffness of said second diaphragm will be significantly higher than its first acoustical stiffness so that said second sound collecting side of the stethoscope head will pass high frequency sounds and attenuate low frequency sounds.   
     
     
       2. A dual-sided stethoscope head according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sound collecting sides each have a size and shape; and said size and shape of said first sound collecting side is different than said size and shape of said second sound collecting side.   
     
     
       3. A dual-sided stethoscope head according to claim 2 wherein said first sound collecting side is adapted to collect sounds from adult patients; and said second sound collecting side is adapted to afford surface contact on pediatric or thin patients. 
     
     
       4. A dual sided stethoscope head according to claim 1 wherein said second sound collecting side has a outer channel situated generally opposite said second recess, said outer channel being adapted to receive one of said second suspension member or a non-chill ring. 
     
     
       5. A dual sided stethoscope head according to claim 1 wherein said first immobilizing means comprises a metal ridge machined into the first sound collecting side of the stethoscope head, and said second immobilizing means comprises a metal ridge machined into the second sound collecting side of the stethoscope head.   
     
     
       6. A stethoscope adapted to deliver sound to a human user, the stethoscope comprising: a pair of ear tips;   a pair of tubes in acoustic communication with the eartips; and   a dual-sided stethoscope head in acoustic communication with the tubes;   said dual-sided stethoscope head comprising: a body member having first and second opposite sound collecting sides,   said first sound collecting side having a first recess with an innermost central portion, an outer rim portion, and an acoustic channel communicating with said central portion of said first recess;   a first diaphragm having a peripheral edge portion and a predetermined surface contour overlying at least a portion of said first recess and moveably associated with the outer rim portion of said first recess;   a first suspension member located between said outer rim portion of said first recess and the peripheral edge portion of said first diaphragm for associating said peripheral edge portion of said first diaphragm with said outer rim portion of said first recess to provide a first acoustical stiffness for said first diaphragm, and for affording movement of said first diaphragm in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said first diaphragm between a normal outer position to which said first diaphragm is biased by said first suspension member and an inner position more closely adjacent said central portion of said first recess without substantially changing the surface contour of or the lateral tension in said first diaphragm during said movement;   a first immobilizing means situated on said first sound collecting side of the stethoscope head and located within said first recess, and together with said central portion forming a shallow recess within said first recess, said immobilizing means adapted to be contacted by at least one of said first diaphragm or said first suspension member and to immobilize said first diaphragm when said first diaphragm is in said inner position so that 1) said first sound collecting side of said stethoscope head will pass low frequency sounds and attenuate high frequency sounds when said first diaphragm is in said outer position and between said outer and inner positions, and 2) when said first diaphragm is in said inner position the acoustical stiffness of said diaphragm will be significantly higher than said first acoustical stiffness so that said first sound collecting side of the stethoscope head will pass high frequency sounds and attenuate low frequency sounds;   said second sound collecting side having a second recess with an innermost central portion, an outer rim portion, and an acoustic channel communicating with said central portion of said second recess;   a second diaphragm having a peripheral edge portion and a predetermined surface contour overlying at least a portion of said second recess and moveably associated with the outer rim portion of said second recess;   a second suspension member located between said outer rim portion of said second recess and the peripheral edge portion of said second diaphragm for associating said peripheral edge portion of said second diaphragm with said outer rim portion of said second recess to provide a first acoustical stiffness for said second diaphragm, and for affording movement of said second diaphragm in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said second diaphragm between a normal outer position to which said second diaphragm is biased by said second suspension member and an inner position more closely adjacent said central portion of said second recess without substantially changing the surface contour of or the lateral tension in said second diaphragm during said movement; and   second immobilizing means situated on said second sound collecting side of the stethoscope head and located within said second recess, and together with said central portion forming a shallow recess within said second recess, said second immobilizing means adapted to be contacted by at least one of said second diaphragm or said second suspension member and to immobilize said second diaphragm when said second diaphragm is in said inner position so that 1) said stethoscope head will pass low frequency sounds and attenuate high frequency sounds when said second diaphragm is in said outer position and between said outer and inner positions, and 2) when said second diaphragm is in said inner position the acoustical stiffness of said second diaphragm will be significantly higher than its first acoustical stiffness so that said second sound collecting side of the stethoscope head will pass high frequency sounds and attenuate low frequency sounds.     
     
     
       7. A stethoscope according to claim 6 wherein said first and second sound collecting sides each have a size and shape; and said size and shape of said first sound collecting side is different than said size and shape of said second sound collecting side.   
     
     
       8. A stethoscope according to claim 7 wherein said first sound collecting side is adapted to collect sounds from adult patients; and said second sound collecting side is adapted to afford surface contact on pediatric or thin patients. 
     
     
       9. A stethoscope according to claim 6 wherein said second sound collecting side has a outer channel situated generally opposite said second recess, said outer channel being adapted to receive one of said second suspension member or a non-chill ring. 
     
     
       10. A stethoscope according to claim 6 wherein said first immobilizing means comprises a metal ridge machined into the first sound collecting side of the stethoscope head, and said second immobilizing means comprises a metal ridge machined into the second sound collecting side of the stethoscope head.   
     
     
       11. In combination, a stethoscope assembly comprising: first and second suspended diaphragm assemblies,   a non-chill ring,   a stethoscope having ear tubes, ear tips, and a dual-sided stethoscope head, the stethoscope head comprising first and second sound collecting sides, said first sound collecting side being situated substantially opposite said second sound collecting side;   said first sound collecting side having the first suspended diaphragm assembly attached thereto, and   said second sound collecting side having structure that is sized and shaped to accept either the second suspended diaphragm assembly or the non-chill ring.   
     
     
       12. A method of using a stethoscope assembly comprising the steps of: (1) providing a stethoscope assembly having ear tubes, ear tips, and a dual-sided stethoscope head, the stethoscope head comprising first and second sound collecting sides, said first sound collecting side being situated substantially opposite said second sound collecting side;   said first sound collecting side having a first suspended diaphragm attached thereto,   the stethoscope assembly including a second suspended diaphragm and a non-chill ring, and   said second sound collecting side having structure that is sized and shaped to accept either the second suspended diaphragm or the non-chill ring; and   (2) manually attaching either the second suspended diaphragm or the non-chill ring to said second sound collecting side.